Rocket with thermal control for influencing the weather

ABSTRACT

A rocket for influencing the weather has an explosive charge and the substance to be atomized in its head portion. A thermocouple is provided one soldered junction of which is provided at the exterior of the rocket and the other soldered junction is kept on a constant temperature.

102/70.2 G l02/70.2 P

Aug. 7, 1973 Hammond, Jr.......

Lagerstriim et al. ABSTRACT Vienna, Austria F42b 13/00 70.2 P; 239/2 RROCKET WITH THERMAL CONTROL FOR INFLUENCING THE WEATHER Inventor:Leopold Balcarczyk,

Assignee: Osterreichische Studiengesellschaft fur Atomenergie Ges.m.b.H. Vienna, Austria Sept. 23, 1971 Appl. No.: 182,989

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 24, 1970 U.S. 102/70.2 G,l02/70.2 P, 102/90 Int. [58] Field of Search References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,382,800 5/1968 Biggs, Jr.

United States Patent Balcarczyk [22] Filed:

ROCKET WITH THERMAL CONTROL FOIR INFLUENCING THE WEATHER The inventionrefers to a rocket for influencing the weather which has an explosivecharge and the sub stance to be atomized in its head portion.

With the present methods for the prevention of hail and for influencingthe weather several substances forming nucleus are brought by means ofrockets into thunder-clouds or hail-clouds consisting of undercooledwater particles or tiny ice mucleus. In most cases the rockets haveexplosive charges being ignited in accordance to a time delay. At thisignition the seed substances being provided in solved or liquid form areatomized. It has shown that just a very small portion of thesesubstances are present in the desired crystalline form corresponding tothe ice crystals; the major portion however is puffed off ineffectively.

According to the newest scientific knowledge the zone in hail-cloudsbeing effective for the utilisation of seed substances is assumed in thetemperature range between 30 and 40C. The ignition at these isothermes,i.e., the discovering of their different levels, can be determinedapproximately only even when using the sounding by radar and acorresponding time ignition.

It is an object of the invention to effect this ignition exactly in theeffective zone. In accordance with the invention it is proposed toprovide a thermocouple one soldered junction of which is provided at theexterior of the rocket and the other soldered junction is kept on aconstant temperature. Additionally a switch which can be adjusted to thedesired thermoelectric voltage, and an electrical ignition for thisexplosive charge are connected to the thermocouple which ignition isactuated by this switch.

The invention makes it possible to switch on the electrical ignitionafter an exterior temperature in the at mosphere is given at whichtemperature the optimal efficiency of the seed substance is to beexpected.

The invention will now be explained by way of the drawings:

FIG.I shows the head of a rocket and FIG. 2 the diagramm for theelectrical ignition.

The thermocouple 1 has a measuring point 2 arranged at the exteriorsurface 3 of the rocket. The second measuring point 4 is maintained at adetermined temperature by a heat insulation 5. Since the time of flightof the rocket is short the temperature of the measuring point 4 can bethe temperature at the launching platform. The reference numeral 6 showsthe ignition circuit. Batteries 7 provide the voltage necessary for theignition. For the ignition itself a heated filament 8 and an ignitionpellet 9 are provided. The ignition pellet can, as this is usual,consist of a mixture of aluminium powder, barium perioxide and shellac.The ignition pellet 9 and the heated filament 8% are surrounded by athermite block 10. The space 11 is filled by the substance to beatomized. The head of the rocket is protected by a heat insulation 12against the space 13 for the rocket composition.

According to FIG. 2 the measuring points 2 and 4 of the thermocouple lare connected to an amplifier 14. The measuring point 4 is surrounded byan insulation 5. The batteries 7 are also connected to the amplifier,however the connection is given by a switch 15. The amplifier l4actuates a trigger 16 which operates an electronic switch 17 supplyingthe heated filament 8 with current. If the desired ignition temperatureis measured by the thennocouple l the trigger 16 is actuated and theswitch 17 is closed, now the filament begins to glow and thus the rocketis ignited. On account of the rapid heating by means of thermite or likecharges a complete evaporation of the nucleous forming substance iseffected and it is possible to use even substances having a very highboiling point. On account of the fact that the instant of ignition canbe set exactly an optimal efficiency for the seed substance is gainedwhich substance is present in a very high distribution.

What I claim is:

l A rocket for influencing the weather, comprising a shell having a headportion,

an explosive charge and a substance to be atomized disposed in said headportion,

a thermocouple having one junction thereof soldered and connected to theexterior of said rocket shell and the other end consituting a secondsoldered junction a heat insulation means surrounding second solderedjuction for maintaining the latter at a constant temperature,

a switch means adjustable to a desired thermoelectric voltage and anelectrical ignition means for said explosive charge being connected tosaid thermocouple means, and

said switching means for actuating said ignition means and actuatingignition of said explosive charge.

2. The rocket as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrical ignitionmeans comprises a heated filament and an ignition pellet is surroundedby a core of thermite, and

said substance to be atomized surrounds said thermite core.

3. The rocket, as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrical ignitionmeans is operated at a temperature between -30 and 40C.

2. The rocket as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrical ignitionmeans comprises a heated filament and an ignition pellet is surroundedby a core of thermite, and said substance to be atomized surrounds saidthermite core.
 3. The rocket, as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidelectrical ignition means is operated at a temperature between -30* and-40*C.